Why is 18 mg (18 mg of nicotine/mg of e liquid) the standard?

[New2Smoking]

One average draw from an e cigarette with 18 mg nicotine juice in it does not do too much to me (and I never even smoked much), and from what I've heard, for most users.

So why is such a non-dense amount the standard in the business? Wouldn't it be better if 24 mg or 30 mg e liquid was the standard?

 

[HughDaHand]

It really all depends on the person. I was a pack a day smoker and started with 24mg liquid. It was far to strong for me and just a few puffs would over nic me enough to make me dizzy. I quickly moved down to 18mg which worked well but I still found myself getting to much nic every once in a while. I am now happy with 12mg liquid, but am thinking of taking it down to 9mg to help lower my dependence. I cant even imagine what would happen if I had tried 30mg at the start.

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

Most new vapers begin at 18 or 24 mg. I've converted a number beyond belief and starting mg is anywhere from 10- 36. Unlike traditional cessation progs where some pharma company tells us what mg we need....vaping is a very personal program leaving the mg decision completely up to the user and that's possibly one of the the reasons for it's success IMO.

 

[Enoch777]

Hmm. Interesting points, but I vape 8mg mostly. I even made some recent buys for a few 1oz bottles of 4mg so I can chain vape more without worrying about getting shaky.

I've read plenty of posts of individuals who much prefer 4 - 12mg over the higher 18 - 30mg+ juices. Am I missing something? What makes 18mg the standard nic content?

 

[Jmac2009]

I was a smoker for 30 years. The last 2-3 years I smoke about 1 1/2 packs a day. Since I had prepared myself to be vaping all day, I started out on 12 mg 5 weeks ago. I have tried 18 but the throad hit is too strong and makes me cough. I guess everyone is different on how they react to the nic vapor.

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Most new vapers begin at 18 or 24 mg. I've converted a number beyond belief and starting mg is anywhere from 10- 36. Unlike traditional cessation progs where some pharma company tells us what mg we need....vaping is a very personal program leaving the mg decision completely up to the user and that's possibly one of the the reasons for it's success IMO.

I have seen that idea expressed here before, but never quite so succinctly.

I couldn't agree more strongly. We were told how many pieces of gum to chew, how many patches to use, whether we could use other NRT at the same time, how many pills to take and how often, how many tokes to take on the inhaler, ad nauseum. None of it works.

With my choices of liquid flavors and strengths, I'm in control here. I know how I'm reacting to the amount and method of nic delivery and I get to adjust how it's provided.

And that has worked when nothing else did.

 

[Vapo Marx]

18mg is the standard? Says who? On the websites of the most of the juice vendors I use, 12mg is the default value.

I started with 18 but I vape mostly 12 now.

 

[New2Smoking]

I've read plenty of posts of individuals who much prefer 4 - 12mg over the higher 18 - 30mg+ juices. Am I missing something? What makes 18mg the standard nic content?

Well, the two online vendors I use make you select your nicotine concentration...and 12 is "low", 18 is "medium" and 24 is "high".

And at gas stations, I usually only see 12 mg and 18 mg.

 

[szot]

18mg nic is NOT the standard...depends on what analogs ya smoked..

click to make bigger

 

[Coastal Cowboy]

Hmm. Interesting points, but I vape 8mg mostly. I even made some recent buys for a few 1oz bottles of 4mg so I can chain vape more without worrying about getting shaky.

I've read plenty of posts of individuals who much prefer 4 - 12mg over the higher 18 - 30mg+ juices. Am I missing something? What makes 18mg the standard nic content?

I can only speculate, but I think some people see 18mg as the standard because it represents the median nic level across the potency spectrum being offered by vendors. I know of no vendor selling liquid with a nic content greater than 36mg and of course, you can't get weaker than 0mg.

In reality, the "standard" lies in what works for you. Meaning, there ain't no standard.

 

[New2Smoking]

Oh wow, well i did not realize a lot of you get a good effect from an 18 mg or even 12 mg e liquid.

I never smoked before this, and now only smoke 2-3 times per week in the afternoons. I take about 15 draws of an 18 mg e liquid and I'm good with that. So I just assumed an ex smoker would need like 40 draws of it to be good for an afternoon...which would be a lot and kinda inefficient.

 

[jocat54]

I read somewhere that 18mg was like a regular cigarette and 12mg was like a light cigarette and so on. Made sense to me.

 

[athousandyears]

I smoked a pack a day of Marlboro Menthol Lights for about 20 years. When I started vaping, I assumed I needed 12 mg so that is what I ordered. It was too much for me so I dropped to 6 mg and it is perfect at the moment. It's just different for everyone.

 

[Vapoor eyes er]

I know of one convert that "smoked" 4 PAD...problem is 3/4 of those analogs just sat in the ashtray burning away (worked at home in IT)...it was part of his addiction and kept him in the comfort zone knowing there was an analog at all times within reach. Another convert smoked 1 PAD but literally devoured each and every analog by way of chain smoking. Turns out the 4 PAD smoker need 18 mg to get over the hump while the 1 PAD needed 36 mg to be successful. Presently they are both vaping much lower mg/ nic levels.

The bottom line for me...when I convert a smoker it's not only important to know what brand and how much they smoked but also their "style" of smoking. Also helps to know what triggers their need for an analog.

 

[abasm]

I believe 18mg is used because most people who switch to vaping have been long time smokers who smoked a pack a day or greater. Heavy smokers are going to need a higher concentration but new vapers also have a tendency to chain vape. 18mg is a good bench mark as it is on the high side of the average range for smokers with less chance of nicotine poisoning for inexperienced vapers. 24 or 36 mg eliquid holds to much chance of making a new vaper sick and turning them off of vaping all together. Just my opinion.

 

[Enoch777]

I can only speculate, but I think some people see 18mg as the standard because it represents the median nic level across the potency spectrum being offered by vendors. I know of no vendor selling liquid with a nic content greater than 36mg and of course, you can't get weaker than 0mg.

In reality, the "standard" lies in what works for you. Meaning, there ain't no standard.

Too true! From my perspective 18mg seems like a lot. 30mg+? Unmentionable. Proof of the validity in your poignant interpretation and yet another reason I feel lucky to call myself a vaper. To be able to custom tailor your own experience exactly how you want it is beyond incredible. (Also fun)

 

[Faylool]

Most the nic is absorbed through the nose. And vaping straight nic is different experience than the whole tobacco experience bug if course very worth adjusting to. Me, I have anywhere from 11 to36 mg nic. If you do build your own atty stuff you'll want to be careful! They deliver the goods very effectively

 

[rbeckys8]

I do well on 6mg and don't feel bad if I vape a lot at times...maybe you need a longer draw..

 

[Vapo Marx]

Most the nic is absorbed through the nose. And vaping straight nic is different experience than the whole tobacco experience bug if course very worth adjusting to. Me, I have anywhere from 11 to36 mg nic. If you do build your own atty stuff you'll want to be careful! They deliver the goods very effectively

This is a very good point. The amount of nicotine it takes to satisfy (or to make you sick, as the case may be) varies with the delivery device. As a general rule, the more efficient the vaporizer, the less nicotine you'll need or want.

 

[Giant Squid]

There's huge variation in individual sensitivity. I never smoked and I vape 36mg. I recently took a week off (with no cravings or withdrawal symptoms) to get my tolerance back down again or even 36mg would be too low. I started with 12mg and I'm not sure I really felt anything beyond placebo at 12mg.